Former President Bill Clinton sought GOP support for health care during first term

Friday

Apr 18, 2014 at 3:26 PM

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bill Clinton's advisers estimated in 1993 that they would need at least 8 moderate Republicans in the Senate and more than 15 moderate Republicans in the House to pass their ill-fated health care reform bill.

Newly released documents from the Clinton White House show how the president's team tried to build support for health care reform.

A strategy memo says the plan would require support from enough conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans without alienating too many liberal Democrats.

It identifies several lawmakers as "swing votes," including current House members like Democrats Charles Rangel of New York and Frank Pallone of New Jersey and Republican Fred Upton of Michigan.

Clinton's plan never cleared a House committee.

The National Archives is releasing about 7,500 pages of documents from Clinton's administration.

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